Glimpses of the past: Oct. 15-21

“Dedicated to the memory of the brave men who fought to preserve the Union. Erected by the Women’s Relief Corps, No. 91 Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic.”

Thus the memory of the Civil War veterans in Green Bay will be held sacred. These words are inscribed on a bronze tablet that marks the granite shaft which was unveiled last night on the lawn in front of the American Legion building. The impressive and colorful ceremony was witnessed by a large crowd that occupied all the seats, and then filled the standing room back to the intersection of Jefferson Street and Walnut Streets.

On the platform was Edward Keough, Frank Biebel, Winfield Smith and Louis Vieux, last survivors in Green Bay and De Pere of the grand army.

The members of the local auxiliary and its officers had worked for many years to realize the memorial.

October 16, 1956

The Louis H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Refuge dedicated in Suamico Tuesday as a county sanctuary gives Brown County a unique position as a leader in the conservation field and opens unlimited possibilities for future development.

Mr. Barkhausen was the honored guest.

In formally turning over the 473-acre refuge to the county, he told the supervisors how he had started the project and what he thought it could be developed into in the future.

Brown County pioneered the idea of a county reforestation camp to replace its old county workhouse, giving county prisoners the opportunity to contribute to conservation.

Now the county is pioneering in a new field, operation of a waterfowl sanctuary. The hope is this model will lead to the establishment of other county sanctuaries in this and other counties.

October 17, 1951

Ashwaubenon may be stuck with the problem of getting rid of a family of at least 10 persons living in unsanitary conditions in a house on Green Bay property.

Health conscious Ashwaubenon complained about the family in a house in A.D. Cooke Park. The house was deeded to the city years ago and is a veritable island of Green Bay in the heart of Ashwaubenon.

Sanitary facilities for the family are “deplorable,” the house a “tremendous” fire trap. The building, from which the city gets no rent, should be destroyed or condemned, said Ashwaubenon’s health board.

Clarence Nier Green Bay city attorney is studying the matter.

His legal observations, not completely checked, indicate that it may be up to Ashwaubenon.

First is the question of what community the family are residents. They may live on city property but that doesn’t mean they are residents. To be one, Nier said a person must live on property annexed by the city. The park isn’t.

October 18, 1961

The purchase of an eight-acre addition to Way-Morr Park for $225 an acre was approved by the Count Board, Tuesday.

The land is owned by Fred Otto and is under option for $225 an acre to the Wayside-Morrison Lions Club.

The purchase will proved space for two more acres of park, a parking lot and a baseball diamond.

October 19, 1948

Fire Chief Aelred Jacobs is seeking to determine the origin of a Monday afternoon grass fire that ignited a small warehouse of the Progressive Farmer’s Co-Operative on S. Sixth Street, causing damage estimated at $5,000. It threatened vulnerable gasoline and fuel oil storage tanks as well as other property in the area between S. Sixth Street and the North Western tracks.

De Pere volunteer firemen managed to limit the flames to the one warehouse, a 25 by 35-foot sheet iron structure. The building and contents, consisting of barrels of alcohol and oil, roll fencing and binder twine, were completely destroyed. A 19,000 gallon fuel oil tank situated a few feet from the warehouse was saved by firemen, as were other buildings, close by.

The grass fire which caused the warehouse blaze originated in a field about 300 feet south of the Progressive Farmers property, Chief Jacobs said.

The group of 13 is the first locally trained unit of women welders to enter the industry.

Some of the women in the groups had less than two weeks training and will continue further instruction on the job. Had more been ready for work, 30 could have been placed easily, according to Thompson.

Meanwhile work in Vocational School shops continues at top speed in an effort to turn out welders. At present 42 women are now on the waiting list for training as soon as vacancies in the classes occur. Thompson estimates that 100 to 150 women welders can find jobs in the Green Bay area.

Women placed in the shipyards Monday will do electric arc welding.

October 21, 1959

A bequest in excess of $300,000 was made to the St. Joseph’s Home for children in Allouez, according to the will of the late Mrs. Carl Dreutzer, filed Monday in Cook County Probate Court of Chicago.

Mrs. Dreutzer, the former Jessica DeBoth of Green Bay and a nationally known cooking authority, died in Chicago Aug. 30 at the age of 58.

According to her will, she left an estate with an estimated $750,000, $300,000 of which was bequeathed outright to the home.

She also left $185,000 in trust for a number of friends. At their deaths, the residue also reverts to the children’s home.

Mrs. Dreutzer was born and reared in Green Bay, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Martin DeBoth. She was the widow of Carl Dreutzer, former Green Bay attorney and explorer, who was a resident of Chicago when he died in 1958.